More than one starting point

During the Singapore Writer's Festival I attended a rather interesting presentation by 2 British comic creators. They shared some tricks in getting creative ideas to write a comic, which I think is equally applicable for writing a children's book.

For example a story can be created just combining a random object with a random activity. As an illustration they asked the audience to pick one object and one activity. Someone shouted "comic" and another person shouted "football". In just minutes the duo came up with a story about a comic book being coveted by all the statesmen in the world. Whoever possesses it will have supreme power. The world leaders gathered for a meeting and agreed to pitch each other at a football match to decide who should have the book. They then created humorous descriptions of the Queen of England playing against other world leaders which the audience could kind of imagine how funny the caricatures will look.

Ideas could also be derived from researching into the extraordinary and weird stuff. As an example they got from the London Underground information on  things left behind in the trains by commuters. Amongst the unbelievable lists include stuffed eagles, real eyeballs, dentures and a 14 feet boat. Interesting and funny scenes or stories can be created just imagining the circumstances when the owners of these objects left them behind.

Watching the duo's presentation makes me think how I have always been a linear thinker. To me there must always be 'a' starting point upon which one builds on in progression. So if I think of writing a children's book, I will first think of an object eg. a cat. Then I will imagine how cats normally behave etc. It didn't occur to me there can be multiple starting points. It strikes me how limiting linear thinking is. I think it is the same with single approaches towards things in Life. Well used single approaches based on generally accepted norms or cultural habits should sometimes be reviewed against alternatives. It may open another world.